419 scam: "MasterCard®"<uksinspectionagency_gov@uk2.net> :SPAM: CARD REGISTRATION No. MCIMJ: 5148/4178

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "tax clearance" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2347061996652

Fraud email example:

From: "MasterCard®" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drrexjohnson@yahoo.pl>
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 15:04:31 -0000
Subject: :SPAM: CARD REGISTRATION No. MCIMJ: 5148/4178

From: MasterCard®
3rd MARCH. 2010 10:00AM
Subject: DEPT SETTLEMENT
OUR REF: IMF/REP-10/10500000
CLAIMS ADMINISTRATON: DR. REX JOHNSON
Tel: +234-706-199-6652

CARD REGISTRATION NO: 9027640
INSURANCE NO: MSTC006 {pending}
TAX CLEARANCE NO: 28456
AMOUNT: $10,500,000.00

This email address has brought you an unexpected Luck, please read through carefully. The International
Monetary Fund (IMF) have been authorized by the World Bank and empowered with one trillion dollars to
commence with immediate release of all held funds ranging from the United Kingdom, United States, Europe,
Asia and Africa. We, MasterCard® Africa have hence been appointed to coordinate payments of all these pending
Federal government contracts, Inheritance, Bank transfers, Lottery winnings and compensations of scam victims.
Inquiries should be directed to this department immediately.

Your file has been updated and your email was selected and confirmed by our co-sponsor and Issuing Bank,
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as one of the Legal Beneficiaries. You will be pleased to Note that you have
been approved by the International Monetary Fund to receive a sum of Ten Million, Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars in Cash, Credited to MasterCard No. 5148 6547 8940 6543 with serial Numbers: 2419879
and Reg. No.MCIMJ: 5148/4178. You are the sixth Foreign Beneficiary to be notified and we are only compensating 10
beneficiaries in this First Quarter of the year 2010.

All beneficiaries are mandated to travel over to MasterCard Nigeria Regional office with valid identification to
sign the release documents. In the case of non appearance, you are advised to contact the Managing Director
of World Bank and former Finance Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs. Okonjo Iweala for A Non
Appearance Approval Letter which attracts a fee of US$200 United States Dollars only. Contact Information’s
For Mrs. Iweala will be supplied upon receipt of this Notification.

Note that Your funds totaling Ten Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$10,500,000.00)
have been lodged in MasterCard (5148 6547 8940 6543) also drawn in your name, ready for release. All you
have to do is Travel down to Nigeria for the Signing and subsequent release of your MasterCard or you contact
Mrs Iweala for the Non Appearance Approval Slip as required for all beneficiaries that can not Travel to
Nigeria.

PROCEDURES / RIGHTS AND PRECAUTIONS.

1. Your Winning MasterCard (5148 6547 8940 6543), has been insured to its real value.

2. Payments are made in United States Dollars. ($10,500,000.00)

3. Any mail received of such should be reported to the claims Administrator above. This will help fight scam.

4. Your claims administrator, has the due right to disqualify you for misconduct

5. Contact your claims administrator (Dr. Rex Johnson) by email as given above

6. All prizes should be claimed on or before 14 days (three weeks) after announcement.

For further enquires or support, do contact your Claims Administrator for advice.

CLAIMS ADMINISTRATON: DR. REX JOHNSON
Tel: +234-706-199-6652

Secretary
Mrs. Mercy Hunt
For: MasterCard

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam